The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-08-10
Under Ether.

The doctor got out his ether apparatus,
and soon compounded smell like pho
tographer's shop in olden days, while out
of the corner of my eye I could see the
surgeon, who had taken off his coat and
pulled some guards over his wrists and
arms, arranging his weapons in neat row
on the dressing table. When the doctor
had got his machine ready he placed it
over my nose and mouth, with instruc
tions to breathe deeply two or three times.
The apparatus used for giving ether con.
sists of box in which the compound is
placed, and an oval india.rubber mask,
very plant and flexible, projecting from
it, with tap which shows communication
between the two parts to be cut off or
established at will. The mask part was
placed over my face, and inhaled deep.
ly once OF twice, with the only result that
/ was seized with choking cough, which
however, was soon followed by pleasant
and restful sensation. I felt as if were
gently doing off on warm summers
day, SO I closed my eyes and placed my
arms down by my sides that they might
not interfere with my breathing. The
doctor bent over me and raised an eye.
lid. but was wide enough awake to say:
s'Not yet DOCTOR" was rapidly going
through, and felt was beginning to lose
consciousness. The light seemed gently
to fade away, giving place 20 darkness
that was not awful or horrible, but soft
and restful. There was no giddiness or
singing in the ears, but silence and dark
ness settled down over me, and then
red veil seemed to come from between my
eyes and to float away into the increasing
gloom, gradually diminishing to red
spot, the only speck of light left. Slowly
this faded away, and sight, hearing, voli-
tion and every sense with it. had
dim consciousness of existence, but my
very life seemed far away, buried under
masses of soft darkness. I do not know
whether I spoke, but my brain vas
blank and not thought crossed my mind.
All was numb, dead and still, the silence
OF the grave, but with faint inde6nable
consciousness somewhere that this was
not death, but only the suspension Of lfe.
Darkness was all around not q darkness
that might be felt, but one that filled
everything, covered everything and blott.
ed out everything with black, impalpable
and all-pervading presence.
Gradually and softly as it went the
light came back again, With no startled
wonder as to where 1 was, for almost
before I could shape thought l instinc-
lively remembered my position and knew
that the operation was over. The figures
in the room grew distinct and clear. I
half rose up in bed, and then horrible
feeling of nausea and pain rushed upon
me. I had laid down strong and well, l
woke up weak and throbbipg with pain
under my bandages and with sickness
such as I had believed could only be
produced in Alderney Race on board
cattle boat.
"splendid," cried the surgeon, aall
over, first rate! !" and be turned down
his shirt sleeves after tossing away the
towel with which he had dried his hands.
My first thought was to ask the time.
"Not much more than quarter of an
hour over it," was the reply. II dare
say you'll go to sleep now; good by"
During my trance they had cut me and
carved me, sowed me up and and band
aged me without my even knowing that
| had been touched, but I could hardly
feel grateful to the anesthetic, for the
nausea it produced was so intense. My
mouth, throat and lungs felt coated with
ether and dried with smoke, and I could
we'll imagine what the mouth of pho.
tographer's boy would be like after pro.
longed debauch on brown paper;cigars
soaked in colodion. Still the ether had
saved me from much suffering and, what
was of more Importance, had prevented
the skill of the operator being baked by
any Ainching. Everything had been
done swiftly, skillfully and with no fear
of the patient wincipg or moving. The
knife is sure and sharp nowadays, and
does pot bungle.-PaN Mall Gazette.